Wire-fence machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -1.

J'. 0. DOWNING. WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

No. 462,630. Patented Nov. 3,1891.

(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. G. DOWNING.

WIRE FENGE MACHINE. No. 462,630. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

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H II II H Ill .1 Hllllll NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH C. DOIVNING, OF BOIVLING GREEN, MISSOURI.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,630, dated November 3, 1891.

Application filed February 3, 1891. Serial No. 380.055. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. DowNINe, of Bowling Green, Pike county, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement lillVllGFGflGB Machines, of which the following is a full, clear-,aud exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines for making that class of fencing which is composed of slats joined by wires, which hold the slats by being twisted between them; and it consists, essentially, of a suitable twisting-head and a detachable twisting-plate, formed of a single piece of metal, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

Figure I is an elevation illustrative of my improved machine and its operation. Fig. II is a side elevation, part in section, of the machine proper, the clamp by which the wires are stretched not being in view. Fig. III is a front elevation, and Fig. IV a rear elevation, of the same. Fig. V is a perspective view of a portion of the twister-head.

1 1 are upright slats or palings inserted in the loops of the wires 2, made by twisting them between the slats, the twists being shown at 3 and the loops at 4. The wire is in two strands, extending from the part of the fence under construction through the twisting devices and the tension devices or clamps 5, which are connected by the wires 6 to a fixed post or other object 7. The twisting-heads 14 have hollow spindles 15 with journal-bearings on the upright frame 16. On the spindles are sprocket-wheels 17,011 which work gear-chains 18.

19 is a crank-shaft, extending parallel with the wires and spindles, which is turned by a crank 20 and has upon it a sprocket-wheel 21, from which a gear-chain 22 passes to a sprocket-wheel 23 upon the central spindle 15, so as to cause the rotation of that spindle with the shaft 19. The gear-chains 18 connect the sprocket-wheels of the spindles together, so that all turn together and in the same direction.

( By mounting the sprocket-wheel 21 and crank 20 with their axes parallel with the axes of the wheels 17 23, I am enabled to do away with the bevel-gear connections usually employed for imparting motion from the crank to the twisters. The pairs of wires pass through the hollow or tubular spindles 15 and through the end notches 2-1 of the twistingplate 25. The twisting-plate 25 has a shank 26, formed integral with it and extending at right angles from it. The shank 26 is provided with a collar 26, which is adapted to fit over the tubular spindle 15, so that the twisting-plate will rotate therewith. 27 are upper and lower projections of the frame, whose pnrposeis to press against thelast slat that has been put in position and hold it in place while the wires are being twisted at its outer edge. The frame is pressed against the slat bya knee projection 28. As the'pairs of wires are twisted together, they are drawn through the clamp 5, so as to supply the amount of wire taken up in twisting.

The operation of the machine has been explained as the purpose of each part has been stated. It may be briefly described as follows: The first ends of the wires 2 are made fast to a fence-post or otherobject and passed through the spindles 15 and the clamps 5. The clamps are made fast to the post 7 or other object. The frame projections 27 are then pressed against the object to which the first ends of the wires have been attached and the wires twisted together to form corners for the edge of the slat or paling. The machine is then moved backward, so as to make room for the insertion of the paling. After the paling has been inserted the machine is pushed forward with the projection 27 against the edge of the paling, as seen in Fig. II, when other twists are made in the wire, and so on. and left alternately, so that no twist will be formed in the wires between the clamps and the fence.

I claim as my invention In a wire-fence machine, the combination of the twisting-head 14, having a hollowspindie 15, means for rotating said twisting-head, and a detachable twisting-plate 25, formed of a single piece of metal and provided with The twists are made right notches 24:, and a shank 26, extending at right angles from the plate and adapted to be so cured to the hollow spindle for attaching the twisting-plate to the twister-head, substantially as set forth.

JOSEPH C. DO\VNING.

In presence of C. V. PUGH, W. R. WEIDNER. 

